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Stretch Cotton Jacket and Elephant Print Viscose Skirt

flippy viscose skirt and marcy tilton jacket

Rachel wearing stretch cotton jacket with embossed squares, eyelet tape and various trims, and elephant printed floppy viscose panelled skirt.

Fabrics and Notions:

Jacket:
Black embossed stretch cotton
Black hatch print Linen (border/collar)
Velvet ribbon
Suedette eyelet tape
Haematite beads
Machine embroidery

Pattern: Marcy Tilton (discontinued)

Skirt:
Elephant print viscose
Medium weight knitted iron-on interfacing
Invisible zip

flippy viscose skirt
flippy viscose skirt
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Turquoise Guipure Lace Short Sleeved Shirt

dyed cotton guipure lace top

This amazing shirt made by Jane (for Lulu) was made with white cotton Guipure lace that was dyed turquoise (along with the cotton lawn lining and button-hole trim) with a Dylon machine dye. The front and back darts were appliqué seamed rather than sewn normally so are almost invisible.

Fabrics and Notions:

White cotton Guipure lace #2900
White ‘Riviera’ cotton lawn
Off white button-hole trim
Dylon turquoise dye
Turquoise shell buttons

Pattern: Altered from a Vintage Vogue Dress pattern V2960 (made up before here)

dyed cotton guipure lace top detail
dyed cotton guipure lace top detail

 

 

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Black Stretch Lace T-shirt

black stretch lace t-shirt

Black stretch lace t-shirt made by Jane for Lulu

Fabrics and Notions:

Black stretch lace #2415

Stay tape

Pattern: Altered from an ancient Vogue Elements hooded top pattern.

Whilst all the seams were overlocked, Jane hemmed and turned the neck using a twin needle, which gives enough stretch on a straight stitch because of the bobbin zigzagging on the reverse. It is an effective way to finish off the hems using a domestic machine.

black stretch lace t-shirt
black stretch lace t-shirt

This hot pink dummy might be fabulous but this t-shirt looks lots better with arms in it, you know.

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Turquoise Cloud Print Stand-Up Collar T-Shirt

cloud printed jersey top

Lulu wearing turquoise cloud print cotton and elastane jersey t-shirt with stand up collar made by Bess.

Fabrics and Notions:

Turquoise cloud print cotton with 7% elastane (v.stretchy) jersey.
Stay tape

Pattern: Adapted from an ancient Vogue Elements hooded top pattern.

To add a stand collar like this to a round neckline is easy as the pattern is cut straight, just cut a rectangle twice the height of the collar (plus seam allowances), and as wide as the circumference of the neckline (do not add seam allowances).  Sew the collar into a tube, fold in half and then overlock or stitch the raw edges together at the neck.

 

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Bright Blue Worsted Wool Skirt Suit with Matching Bag

bright blue worsted wool skirt suit

Philippa wearing her beautifully made worsted wool skirt suit with checkerboard weave and matching bag.

Fabrics and Notions:

Bright Blue checkerboard weave worsted virgin wool.
Thai silk block printed lining
Lacquered shell buttons (jacket)
Invisible zip (skirt)
Viscose iron-on interfacing
Clasp (bag) from grandmother’s treasure box.

Patterns (all altered, but based upon):

Jacket: Vogue 1643
Skirt: McCall’s 5523
Bag: from the book, Making Vintage Handbags by Emma Brennan

bright blue worsted wool suit with silk lining
bright blue worsted wool suit with silk lining

phillipa-blue-suit-buttons

bright blue worsted wool skirt suit
bright blue worsted wool skirt suit
bright blue worsted wool vintage bag
bright blue worsted wool vintage bag
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Flower Printed Cotton Dress with Sand-washed Silk Bolero

floral printed bias cut cotton dress

Lucinda with a remake of her bias cut dress (seen first here) using Boden flower printed cotton and worn with a lined red sand-washed silk poplin bolero.

Fabrics and Notions:

Dress:
Boden printed cotton
Cotton lawn lining (#1011)
Invisible zip

Bolero:
Red sand-washed silk poplin
Venezia lining
Medium knitted interfacing

Dress pattern: 7798

 

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Laminated Cotton Hooded Raincoat with Pink Linen Trousers

spotty laminated cotton raincoat

Jane (the boss lady) wearing her laminated cotton pink spotty raincoat with stripe yoke and contrasting spotty lining with detachable hood, and pink linen fly-front trousers.

Fabrics and Notions:

Jacket:
Pink and turquoise spotty laminated cotton #3021
Pink and turquoise stripe laminated cotton #3022
Anbo spotty American printed cotton.
Separating turquoise chunky zip.
Dyed turquoise shell buttons.
Clear plastic back buttons.

Trousers:
Pink heavy linen
7″ Dress and skirt zip
2 x buttons
Viscose iron-on Interfacing

Patterns:
Jacket: (discontinued) Anna Sui for Vogue #2424
Trousers: Burda 2938

There is no interfacing or stabilising in this jacket as the laminated cotton is very stable. Jane rarely makes things for herself, or in this kind of fabric and has been frequently saying, “I’m really pleased with that jacket!”. It makes all this rain ALMOST bearable.

spotty laminated cotton raincoat
spotty laminated cotton raincoat

 

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Boiled Wool Waterfall Unlined Jacket and Cotton Waffle Trousers

boiled wool waterfall jacket

Rachel (from classes) wearing her turquoise boiled wool waterfall jacket with red wool binding, and Paddy Campbell off-white cotton waffle wide leg trousers.

Fabrics and Notions:

Jacket:
Turquoise boiled wool
Red wool fold-over binding

Trousers:
Paddy Campbell off-white cotton waffle
Zip
Knitted iron-on interfacing

Patterns:
Jacket, McCall’s 5937
Trousers, Vogue 8717

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Vintage Vogue Cotton Dress and Linen Jacket

Vintage Vogue cotton dress with linen bolero jacket

Lulu wearing vintage Vogue dress made with swimmers printed cotton and pink linen bolero, all made by Jane.

Fabrics and Notions:
Dress:
Swimmers print cotton
Riviera cotton lawn lining
Cover buttons
Covered belt
Bias binding

Pattern: Vintage Vogue V2960

Bolero:
Pink Heavy Linen
Swimmers print cotton
Button
Piping

Cotton poplin Vintage Vogue dress and linen bolero
Cotton poplin Vintage Vogue dress and linen bolero
Cotton poplin Vintage Vogue dress and linen bolero
Cotton poplin Vintage Vogue dress and linen bolero
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Tweed Cardigan Jacket Style Jacket and Tweed Check Skirt

Chanel Wool Tweed Jacket and Skirt

A rare photo of Jane taken in London wearing her mixed fibre tweed jacket quilted in the traditional cardigan jacket manner with added chain weight and fringe trimmings. Turquoise and chartreuse wool tweed skirt with kick pleat and pink lining (made by Bess).

Fabrics and Notions:
Jacket:
Mixed fibre cardigan jacket type tweed
Printed silk satin lining
Silk organza (just the selvedge, used for staying the edges and hem)
Acrylic fringe trim
Chain
Double cover buttons

Skirt:
Turquoise and chartreuse big check wool tweed
Pink Venezia lining
Pink velvet piping
Invisible zip

 

 

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Spotty Reversible Grosgrain and Wool Coat with Zero Print Skirt

spotty grosgrain coat and printed stretch cotton a-line skirt

Bess wearing reversible coat made years and years ago using grosgrain polkadot and green Laurent Garigue worsted wool.
Also wearing a long a-line skirt using a Donna Karan Vogue pattern.

Fabrics and Notions:
Coat:
Polka dot printed grosgrain viscose and cotton
Laurent Garigue green worsted wool
Cover buttons (wired together so as to be double sided)
Viscose iron-on interfacing

Skirt:
Red zero print stretch cotton drill
Viscose iron-on interfacing
Turquoise satin piping
Invisible zip
Turquoise narrow petersham (belt loops)
Black 25mm cotton petersham (tie)

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Ditsy Floral Needlecord Cotton Baby Dress and Blue Cotton Twill Romper

cotton corduroy romper and dress and leggings

Floral printed needlecord cotton dress with pink marl jersey, and blue twill cotton romper with contrast pockets.

Fabrics and Notions:
Ditsy floral printed needlecord cotton
Polka dot lawn (lining)
Pink marl cotton elastane jersey
Blue twill cotton
Spotty cotton
Elastic
Poppers
Piping
Rickrack trim
Bias Binding

Pattern: Ottobre magazine

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Viscose Elastane Red Polka Dot T-Shirt and Silk Wool Tweed Pinafore Dress

wool and silk mix tweed pinafore dress and spotty red and white viscose elastane t-shirt

Jessie wearing her red viscose and elastane polka dot t-shirt made by Bess, and Bess wearing her wool and silk tweed pinafore dress with Birdy pockets and circle jersey inserts.
(They were trying to move faster than the camera flash- clearly not fast enough)

Fabrics and Notions:
Jessie wears:
Red polka dot printed viscose elastane jersey
Lightweight knitted iron-on interfacing
Stay tape
Reinforced iron-on stay tape

Bess wears:
Wool and silk tweed pinafore dress
Red polka dot viscose and elastane jersey (pockets and inserts)
Medium weight knitted iron-on interfacing

That T-shirt again, in slight slower motion:

red pinspot viscose and elastane jersey t-shirt
red pinspot viscose and elastane jersey t-shirt
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Proofed Linen Quilted Coat

proofed linen panelled zippy coat

Maddison modeling Bess’s proofed linen coat (quilted with wool wadding) with wiggly eye epaulettes. Zipping in the panels and sleeves undo to reveal white proofed linen pleats.

Fabric and Notions:
Chartreuse proofed linen
White proofed linen
Wool wadding
Black continuous zipping
wiggly eye buttons
Black cotton grosgrain
Spot printed viscose acetate lining
Cover buttons
Pocket zips
Eyelets (umbrella pocket)
Viscose iron-on interfacing

Pattern: Bess’s own

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Cotton Drill Twister Skirt and Wool Mesh Hoody with Ears

cotton drill zippy twister skirt and wool gauze jersey hoody with ears

Megan wears chartreuse cotton drill A-line skirt with a spiral zip inserted, worn with a grey wool mesh hoody top with ears, designed by Bess

Fabrics and Notions:
Skirt:
Charteuse cotton drill
White continuouse zipping
Viscose acetate spot print lining (Inside zip)
Black venezia lining
Invisible zip
Bias binding
Black fold-over grosgrain binding
Top:
Wool stretch mesh
Stretch semi-sheer turquoise lycra binding

Patterns: Bess’s own

Modelled below by Bronte showing what happens when you undo the zip

unzipped continuous zipping twister skirt
unzipped continuous zipping twister skirt
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Angora Wool Mix Jumper and Zippy Dogtooth Wool Skirt

wool and angora monster glove jumper and panelled wool zippy skirt

Megan (spinning) and Bronte (triptych)  modelling angora and wool mix jumper with red viscose jersey circle insert and monster gloves, and charcoal grey dogtooth worsted wool with zipped panels revealing printed silk habotai inserts.

Fabrics and Notions:
Jumper:
Wool and angora stripe rib jersey
Red viscose and elastane jersey (circle insert, covered buttons and glove linings)
Wool wadding (Inside circle insert)
Covered buttons
Bias binding cut from jersey
Stay tape
Viscose iron-on interfacing

Skirt:
Charcoal 80% Wool 20% Poly dogtooth check brushed worsted wool
Digitally printed silk habotai
Red continuous zipping
Black grosgrain fold-over binding
Invisible zip
Backing button
Bias binding
Iron-on stabilising tape

angora wool jersey jumper with monster gloves
angora wool jersey jumper with monster gloves